1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the board of a gliding apparatus, in particular an alpine ski, as well as a gliding apparatus including such a board.
More specifically, the invention relates to such articles which incorporate an electronic data exchange label with an external reading and writing device.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
In the case of an alpine ski, an electronic data exchange label is disclosed in the patent documents EP 441 318 and WO 99/54005, in which the label is integrated into the structure of a ski during manufacture. According to these documents, the label, which is a relatively thin element, is merely inserted between two layers in the laminated structure that forms the ski. In the first case, the label is passive, it can only be read. In the second case, the label has a rewritable memory, i.e., it can receive and store data transmitted thereto, and which data can be read subsequently. The data exchange with the label is done remotely, without any physical contact, by means of an appropriate reading or writing device.
Among the commercially available labels, two reading/writing techniques are generally known, which depend mainly on the format of the label, and also on the frequency used to perform the data exchange. According to a first reading/writing method, these operations are performed over a short distance by means of a portable device which is presented in the vicinity of the label. According to another method, the operations are performed over a longer distance by means of a stationary installation, for example, when the article and its user pass between the side panels of a detection gate.
In both cases, it has been found that the data exchanges could be interfered with by the metallic masses of the board or of the boot retaining elements. For example, the skis of the fibro-metal type have two metallic reinforcing layers on the top and bottom which are capable of hiding the label from the detection apparatus. The retaining elements also have various metallic parts that can hinder the reading and writing operations.